Like Father, Like Son
by Crime-drama lover
Summary: Tony and Ziva's life in the future with their three year old son, Jacob. Tony realizes he needs to focus more on Jake and less on work.
1. Silent Night

Tony unlocked the door to his small home and crept in. He was being as quiet as possible so he didn't wake his sleeping son and wife. Ziva was not sleeping, though. She never went to bed before he got home because she did not want to be startled and accidently shoot him. Only in a marriage like theirs would that be any issue. She was sitting on the couch with a cup of her favorite tea and a book.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks" Tony whispered as he walked over to her and pecked her on the cheek.

"Hey. Jacob just drifted off so you can go in and give him a kiss goodnight." Ziva replied sleepily

"Just drifted off! It's almost 10:00!" Tony was surprised that he was up almost two hours after his usual bedtime of 8:15

"He missed you; he was crying for you and couldn't sleep." Ziva said looking into Tony's large blue-green eyes. She saw the edges of his lips creep up as he said this.

"Alright, I'll go say goodnight. You, my ninja, should go to bed! You look exhausted!" He said as he walked towards his son's room.

Tony slowly and noiselessly opened Jake's door and walked in. He looked around at the light green walls. They brought back a flood of memories. Gibbs and him had painted these walls when Ziva was almost eight months pregnant with Jacob. _Wow,_ he thought, _Jake is already three! Where does time go?_

"Hey, Buddy" Tony said softly as he sat down on Jacob's bed

"Dadda! Where were you, Papa?" Jacob blurted out at the sight of his beloved Daddy and hero.

"Working. You know how Gibbs is, baby boy; he likes to get the job done!" Tony guiltily confessed to his innocent three year old. Tony always felt bad about working late because he knew that Jake needed more of his time. He just didn't have the guts to tell Gibbs he needed some time off.

Jacob nodded sadly. "I wish you were home more Papa; I wuv 'pending time wif you!" Jacob let out.

"I know J.J." Tony said, "Time for sleep, little man! I love you more than the stars and the sun and even movies!"

Jacob giggled. "I wuv you too, Daddy. More than Batman; and dat's a lot!"

Ziva felt the mattress sink as Tony climbed in. She turned to see his handsome face. That was the face she at turned to whenever she needed help for so long. Before Jake, before their wedding, even before they had admitted their love for each other in Paris so many years ago. She kissed his lips lovingly.

"I love you," they both said in sync.


	2. Jake's Day

Tony and Ziva strolled into the bullpen chatting about Jacob, most likely. He was their favorite subject, anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. They adored their son more than life itself.

"Hey, McLonley!" Tony said as he turned on his computer.

"You know Tony, just because you have your perfect little life and your perfect little family doesn't mean you have to rub it in my face." McGee replied curtly

"Tim, Tim, Tim! Tell me, what would beautiful wives, gorgeous babies, and perfect lives be for if you couldn't brag about them?" Tony matter-of-factly stated to Mcgee.

Tim rolled his eyes. Like clockwork Gibbs rolled in with his cup of coffee in hand and said "Life isn't so perfect for Petty Officer Keith Branson, obviously. Grab your gear; dead marine!"

The team gathered their belongings and followed their fearless leader, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Once they got to the crime scene Ducky made an assessment of the body, gave time of death, the said that cause of death was most likely gunshot to the back of the head. Though, in this business, you can never be too sure. Tony asked if he could have a word with Gibbs.

"What's the problem, DiNozzo?" Gibbs demanded.

"Well, here's the thing. Uh, so I have noticed that maybe, um, I have been spending a little to much time in the office and not enough with, well uh, Jake. So, if it's ok of course, I was wondering if I could start going home a little, well, earlier?" Tony managed to nervously say.

He felt the inevitable sensation of Gibbs rock- hard hand on the back on his head. He flinched and made little groaning noise.

"Well why didn't you say so DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as he walked back toward the body.

"Um, thanks boss!" Tony yelled after him.

At three o'clock Tony convinced himself to ask, "Gibbs, can I go now? You know like I asked?" He braced himself for Gibbs' trademark head slap, but it never came.

"Yeah, Tony. Go!" Gibbs directed

Tony happily drove to Jacob's pre-school to pick him up.

"Hello, Ms. Walsh!" Tony greeted Jake's teacher, "I'm here to pick up Jake."

"You are here a bit early, aren't you?" She said surprised but sweetly

Tony laughed. He walked of to where Jacob was playing with his best friend, Braxton.

"Boo!" Tony yelled from behind Jake as he grabbed his shoulders.

"Daddy!" Jacob said. He wrapped his little arms around Tony's neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry Braxton, but I have to steal my son from you!" He joked with Jake's little friend.

_Later that afternoon_

"So Buddy, we ate at your favorite restaurant, I bought you that Star Wars toy you've been bugging Mama about, I even got you ice cream; what do you want to do now?" Tony asked his ice cream covered son.

"Da beach! Pwetty Pwease Daddy, Pweeeeeeease!" Jacob begged as he pulled on Tony's Film Fest t-shirt.

"Well, alright then! The beach it is my brown-eyed boy! As you wish! As you wish, that's what Wesley from the '87 film _Princess Bride _said. Gosh, I haven't seen that one in years!" Tony rambled to Jake who really didn't care.

"C'mon, Papa! Let's go!" Jacob urged

"Alright, you little eager beaver!" Tony laughed to his son

At the beach, Tony and his son wrestled, played, and giggled until their hearts were overflowing with happiness. Tony had people say to him "Your son is gorgeous!" so many times, but he never got tired of hearing it. Jacob Jethro DiNozzo was a beautiful boy. He had soft, brown hair that was recently cut into an adorable Mohawk. He had sparkling and bright brown eyes, and eyelashes as black as night and as long as the Mississippi River. He was like a clone of Tony, physically, emotionally, and characteristically. Tony was immensely proud of his son. The team loved him and spoiled him to death. Jacob had such a big, warm, and welcoming heart. He was a lady's man, just like his daddy. He never believed that girls had cooties; he thought they were too pretty to have some sort of disease. Tony loved aspect of his son. He loved him from left to right, from head to toe.

And that would never change.


End file.
